Medical services tracking system and method
Some embodiments include a system and computer-implemented method for aggregating and tracking medical delivery to a patient including a non-transitory computer-readable medium in data communication with at least one processor, where the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes software instructions for a medical services tracking system and method. Upon execution of the software instructions, information from a patient database or server can be received and displayed a medical record dashboard. A user can view and edit access to the information, and a user selectable link can display medical record information. The system and method enable auto-population of medical data entry fields based at least one part on at least one claim made or billing signed off by a physician for at least one medical service or procedure previously provided to or performed on at least one patient.
This application claims priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 61/968,693, entitled “PHYSICIAN REVIEW SYSTEM” filed on Mar. 21, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUNDElectronic medical record systems that provide computerized interfaces between medical professionals and staff and patient medical records and services or procedures have the potential to significantly improve and streamline the business of medical care. Using these systems, a medical provider can track the delivery of medical care, access a patients medical records, track billing for services provided, and follow a patient's progress. However, these systems typically include complex interfaces that require users to navigate through multiple layers, folders and/or windows to access even basic patient information.
Medical knowledge is doubling every five years, diagnostic tests and procedures are exploding, and documentation requirements for payments are increasing. Doctors are becoming burdened with documentation and administrative tasks rather than spending their time was medical providers. As a result, they have to turn their back to the patient to input their findings and have to navigate through multiple screens to do so. The potential of medical errors, over ordering or under ordering of diagnostic tests and medical, and other related mistakes occurs because information is missed or buried in the electronic interface of the EMR system. Furthermore, physicians increasingly rely on technicians, assistants and other staff to input information, and with a simple miss click of the mouse or human error, improper documentation can occur. Many current EMR systems require significant administrative overhead, and are prone to user error that can result in a discrepancy between billing, claims and payment for professional services and patient procedures. Much documentation involves non-physician input and client information that is subject to human error or carelessness.
There exists a need for a tool that allows physicians to rapidly detect potential problems, inconsistencies, medical changes, potential billing errors, review diagnostic tests and navigate through the entire patient chart history or access to outside sources, all through this one page quick review “cheat interactive notes” allowing a doctor to provide the best possible care.
SUMMARYSome embodiments include a system for aggregating and tracking medical delivery to a patient comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium in data communication with at least one processor, where the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes software instructions comprising a medical services tracking system and method. The system comprises one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to link to and receive patient related information from at least one patient database or server, and display at least one medical record dashboard comprising information received or derived from the at least one patient database. The system comprises one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to display patient information within one or more windows of the at least one medical record dashboard, and the one or more windows comprising at least one medical data entry field. The system also comprises one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to provide a user with view and edit access to the at least one medical data entry field, and where any one of the at least one medical data entry field can comprise a user selectable link to a medical record display. The medical record display includes a user selectable toggle to the at least one medical record dashboard. Further, the system enables auto-population of the at least one medical data entry field based at least one part on at least one claim made or billing signed off by a physician for at least one medical service or procedure previously provided to or performed on at least one patient.
In some embodiments, the one or more processors are configured to dynamically link to at least one electronic medical records system. In some further embodiments, the one or more processors are configured to launch the medical services tracking system and method from a user interface of the electronic medical records system as directed by a user. In some further embodiments, the one or more processors are configured to switch between at least one display generated by the medical services tracking system and method and one or more displays generated by the electronic medical records system.
In some embodiments, the view and edit access comprise providing a user with an option to update or mark at least one medical data field based on at least one medical diagnosis. In some further embodiments, the update or mark comprises an icon illustrating a representation of at least one of a worsening diagnosis, a stable diagnosis, or an improving diagnosis. Further, in some other embodiments, the icon comprises a color or graphical change providing a visual representation of at least one of items billed, items not billed, and tests needing reports or interpretations.
In some further embodiments, the one or more processors are configured to display at least one user-selectable medical record in the medical record display. In some embodiments, the at least one user-selectable medical record comprises a test result or diagnosis. In some embodiments, the at least one test result or diagnosis comprises at least one of optical coherence tomography (“OCT”), or fluorescein angiography (“FA”), and/or indocyanine green chorioangiography (“ICG”), and photographic images of a patient's eyes. In some embodiments, the at least one user-selectable medical record comprises at least one test result or diagnosis from any current procedural terminology code (“CPT code”) produced by the American Medical Association or any international classification of disease codes version 9 or version 10 (“ICD code”) produced by the World Health Organization.
Some embodiments of the invention include the one or more processors configured to auto-populate the at least one medical data entry field based at least in part on a pending or unbilled medical service or procedure previously provided to or performed on at least one patient. In some embodiments, at least one patient database comprises patient information from a medical provider. In some embodiments, the patient information comprises information received from or derived from a transition of care document or proactive care form. In some further embodiments, the patient information comprises information received from or derived from a direct message.
Some embodiments of the invention include a computer implemented medical services method comprising providing a system for aggregating and tracking delivered medical services to a patient comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium in data communication with at least one processor, where the non-transitory computer-readable medium includes software instructions comprising a medical services tracking system and method, and one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to perform the medical services tracking system and method comprising. The method comprises receiving patient related information from at least one patient database or server, and displaying at least one medical record dashboard comprising a displayed convergence of at least one medical service or procedure, at least one claim made or billing signed off by a physician for at least one medical service or procedure, and at least one patient medical record. The method includes displaying patient information within one or more windows of the at least one medical record dashboard, the one or more windows comprising at least one medical data entry field. The method includes providing a user with view and edit access to the at least one medical data entry field, where any one of the at least one medical data entry field can comprise a user selectable link to a medical record display. Further, the medical record display includes a user selectable toggle to the at least one medical record dashboard, and the method includes auto-populating the at least one medical data entry field based at least one part on at least one claim made or billing signed off by a physician for at least one medical service or procedure previously provided to or performed on at least one patient.
In some embodiments, the one or more processors are configured to switch between at least one display generated by the medical services tracking system and method and one or more displays generated by an electronic medical records system. In some embodiments, the view and edit access comprise providing a user with an option to update or mark at least one medical data field based on at least one medical diagnosis. In some embodiments of the method, the update or mark comprises an icon illustrating a representation of at least one of a worsening diagnosis, a stable diagnosis, or an improving diagnosis. Further, in some embodiments of the method, the icon comprises a color or graphical change providing a visual representation of at least one of items billed, items not billed, and tests needing reports or interpretations.
In some further embodiments of the method, the one or more processors are configured to display at least one user-selectable medical record in the medical record display. Some embodiments of the method further comprise one or more processors configured to auto-populate the at least one medical data entry field based at least in part on a pending or unbilled medical service or procedure previously provided to or performed on at least one patient.
In some embodiments of the method, the at least one patient database comprises patient information from a medical provider. In some further embodiments, the patient information comprises information received from or derived from at least one of a transition of care document, a proactive care form, and a direct message.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the invention. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. The figures, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of embodiments of the invention. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives that fall within the scope of embodiments of the invention.
Some computerized or electronic medical record (“EMR”) systems provide a computerized interface between medical professionals and staff and one or more medical records databases. Some embodiments of the invention disclosed herein include a medical service tracking system and method that can be linked to or otherwise accessed from a conventional EMR system. Examples of such conventional EMR systems include the MD Office medical records and practice management systems distributed by MD Office, Inc. USA, 1967 Oak Tree Road, Edison, N.J., 08820, USA.
Some embodiments of the invention include a medical service tracking system and method that can be included as an add-on software package to a conventional medical record system such as the aforementioned MD Office medical record systems. In some embodiments, tasks associated with an add-on software program can be seamlessly linked and/or incorporated into one or more core software tasks or modules of the conventional medical record system such as MD Office. In some embodiments, application programming interfaces (hereinafter “APIs”) can be used to connect and transmit data between one or more software modules of the medical service tracking system and method, and one or more conventional medical record system such as MD Office and/or one or more patient records and/or databases comprising patient records. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the medical services tracking system and method can be configured to receive patient data from a master patient index or a medical provider.
In some embodiments, new software features of the medical service tracking system and method can be added to an existing application such as MD Office without modifying the existing code of the application. In some other embodiments, the medical service tracking system and method can function as an independent application, not linked, overlaid, or otherwise interfaced with any conventional medical record system such as MD Office.
In some embodiments, a user can use the medical tracking system launch icon 250 to exit the medical record system 100 with the intent of accessing or launching the medical service tracking system and method. In some further embodiments, the launch icon 250 can be used to temporarily halt the medical record system 100 and access or launch the medical service tracking system and method. In some other embodiments, the launch icon 250 can be used to access or launch the medical service tracking system and method while the medical record system 100 continues to run in parallel, continues to run in a background mode, and/or is moved to an idle mode.
Referring to
In some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 400 can display various windows and sub-windows based on a user preference and/or current or previous user interaction with the medical record dashboard 400. For example, in some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 400 can display a problems window 425 and/or a surgeries window 450 where information related to a patient's medical problems and surgeries can be displayed in information columns 600, 700 respectively. Further, in some embodiments, patient information related to a allergies and drugs can be displayed within the allergies/drug section 460. This information can be auto-populated from a variety of sources, or inputted by personnel. In some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 400 can include a summary window 475 enabling a user to view and edit summary information related to the patient, any details of care provided to the patient, and/or and any medical diagnosis information prepared by a medical practitioner. Further, the medical record dashboard 400 can also display detailed information related to any medical procedures or services provided to the patient, including procedures or services that are auto-populated by claims made, or billings or payments including billing signed off by a physician as detailed above. For example, in some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 400 can display a medical tracking display window 500 including information columns 800 that can be auto-populated by claims made or billings signed off by a physician. The auto-population can include billings, payments, or other information from anywhere in the EMR chart.
The medical record dashboard 400 can include miscellaneous information identifying the patient, information related to the patient's insurance plan, doctors and referring doctors, and the patient's current balance. Other information can relate to the patient's prior visit, prior diagnosis or procedure and any important information relevant to the next visit. Additional information can relate to the current visit, including history of illness and chief medical complaint, billing information, and retrievable medical information including pharmacy information. For example, in some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 400 can include a patient insurance entry 401, referring doctor entry 402, and primary care physician entry 403. The medical record dashboard 400 can also include patient balance entry 404, and a high deductible plan entry 405. Important patient information related to a pending or current visit can include a “days left post op period” entry 406 and/or an information alert 465. In some embodiments, the information alert 465 can be auto-populated based on other information or entries in the medical record dashboard 400. In other embodiments, the information alert 465 can be set by any user to alert the user or other user of information relevant to the patient. In some embodiments, the information alert 465 can comprise a daily technician update, including information to medical information such as blood pressure, or whether the patient is pregnant, or any other urgent information with which a member of a health care team can alert another member. Further, this information can become permanent or can be deleted from the dashboard 400, and from any record or table accessible from the dashboard 400, including any medical record. Further, this information can serve as or be configured as a “sticky note” that can be removed from any of the above-mentioned records. For example, the “sticky note” can be an electronic sticky note riding on the dashboard or any record accessible from the dashboard, or a physical sticky note attached to a physical record, chart or table. Also this table 400 is unique in that test interpretations and evaluation of patients, once documented and billed, usually become date stamped and cannot be easily amended without putting the new date of amendment on it. This table is a medical tool to improve and follow care as such, may not necessarily be used as part of a particular days medical record. Therefore months or years a part doctors can add notes into the table when new findings, discoveries, or realizations warrant it without feeling encumbered that they are “changing past medical record” and a disclosure of such can be at the bottom of the table.
In some other embodiments, a daily technician update can be accessed or otherwise made visible to the user in at least one other portion of the dashboard 400. In some embodiments, the information alert 465 can be displayed in a specific color and/or with a specific graphic and/or animation. For example, in some embodiments, the information alert 465 can comprise a flashing red animation. Also this table 400 is unique in that interpretations and evaluations of patients once documented and billed usually become date stamped and cannot be easily amended without putting the new date of amendment on it. This embodiment of the table is a tool to improve and follow care and as such, may not necessarily be used as part of a particular day's medical record. Therefore months or years apart Doctors can put notes into the table if findings or new discoveries or realizations warrant it, without feeling encumbered that they're changing a past medical record.” To protect the physician during an audit a statement on the table can be added that “notes on this table” are not necessarily added at the time listed as the date.
Some embodiments include an alert or access to one or more letters or results from outside (icon 407) systems or third parties. Some further embodiments include an alert or access to letters sent 408. The letters can be written, typed, and/or one or more dictated letters from the user and/or another medical provider.
Some embodiments include an entry or access to the current day's history, the current day's plan, and/or to the current day's billing. For example, some embodiments include a “Today's history” entry or access 409, a “Today's plan” entry or access 411, and a “Todays billing” entry or access 413.
In some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 400 can also include at least one link to information from external databases, providers, hospitals (e.g., such as a discharge summary), clinics and/or testing laboratories, etc., (e.g., where the information can include the overall diagnostic imaging center of the practice for certain pieces of equipment and into the machine to actually see all of the study). In the latter example, the medical record dashboard 400 can receive information from at least one database and/or server and/or controller coupled to receive data from the diagnostic equipment. Further, some embodiments include an entry or access to the National Patient Registry or other kind of registry (link 415), hospital EMR (link 417), imaging center 419 (including accessing software imaging and diagnostic management systems to handle many diagnostic images and studies or specific diagnostic equipment), and Eprescribe link 421.
In some embodiments, the user can access at least one Eprescribe database, server, and/or website directly from the dashboard 400 using the Eprescribe link 421. Further, in some embodiments, orders can be auto-populated into the plan or order screen of EMR (“Orders” link 423).
In some embodiments, one button entitled “clinical research study diagnostic equipment” (button 424a) can take a user (e.g., a physician) instantly to the piece or pieces of equipment that were used that or another day for testing so the doctor can now measure and enter the findings. This can be internal in the user's practice so that any diagnostic equipment can be accessed. In some embodiments, the same or another button can provide a link in the major table to an image or diagnostic management software system. In this way, some embodiments can handle the tremendous amount of diagnostic equipment and images, and unlike prior art tables that just provide access to a PDF, these embodiments provide access to not just one single piece of diagnostic equipment but all of them and the complete study, not just a “slice”, can be evaluated and comparison of changes over time made.
Once entered, the data can be auto populated into the dashboard 400 (e.g., such as a retina flowsheet) under other column 1200, where each clinical research study would have other factors followed such as central macular thickness (“CMT”), or ischemic index (“ISI”). Further, the second button (button 424b) can take the user to either the company sponsoring the clinical research website (sometimes a pharmaceutical company and other times a company that invented a device). The clinical researcher could immediately go to this website and input any data that was obtained from that visit from the diagnostic equipment button 424a, and/or to a research spreadsheet where the user (e.g., a clinical researcher in this example embodiments) can input the data, or where the data can be auto-populated (e.g., from the other column 1200 or into column 1200).
Further details of the problems window 425, surgeries window 450, and medical tracking display window 500 and are provided in
Referring to the medical tracking display window 500, the information columns 800 can include a date column 805, and a procedure column 810 illustrating or providing access to information detailing one or more procedures performed on the patient. Further, the procedure column 810 can include an “OD” column 815, and “OS” column 820 providing right and left eye procedure information, or could be a body part (i.e., orthopedic surgery limb versus spine). In some embodiments, information related to the medical provider, the location where the procedure was performed, and office visit information can be provided to the user in the provider column 830, and unit column 840, and office visit column 845.
In some embodiments of the invention, the user can view information related to tests and procedures performed on the patient. For example, these can include information related to one or more medical imaging procedures such as an optical coherence tomography (“OCT”), or fluorescein angiography (“FA”), and/or indocyanine green chorioangiography (“ICG”), or any current procedural terminology code (hereinafter “CPT code”), including any CPT code found in the American Medical Association CPT 2015 professional edition, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference. Moreover, the user can view information related to tests and procedures performed on the patient based on an ICD code.
In some embodiments, medical procedures performed (including any of the aforementioned medical imaging procedures) that have been billed and claimed can be viewed or accessed by a user within any of the “OCT” column 850 (split as an “OD” column 855 and “OS” column 860), an “FA” column 870 (split as an “OD” column 872 and “OS” column 874), and/or “ICG” column 880 (split as “OD” column 882 and “OS” column 884).
Referring to
Some embodiments of the invention include visual cues, icons, or markers representing and/or enabling access to detailed information related to medical services, procedures or tests provided to the patient. For example, in some embodiments, medical services, procedures or tests performed or provided can be assigned a visual code, icon, or graphical marker. For example,
In some embodiments of the invention, the medical record dashboard 400 can provide a text summary of any aspect of the medical record dashboard 400. As described earlier, the summary window 475 can enable a user to view and edit summary information related to the patient, any details of care provided to the patient, and/or and any medical diagnosis information prepared by a medical practitioner. In some embodiments, the user can add and/or edit the summary information. For example,
In some embodiments of the invention, the user can add or update information associated with any of the user-accessible tests, procedures or services or other notes provided by the user and/or medical provider in the notes column 1300. For example,
Regarding the visual cues, icons, or markers 885 (referred to above and shown at least in
As an example embodiment of the invention, the medical service tracking system and method can display at least one medical record as a result of the user action 887. For example,
In some embodiments of the invention, the medical service tracking system and method can enable a user to access underlying information linked or related to diagnostic codes. In some other embodiments, the medical service tracking system and method can enable a user to access underlying information linked or related billing codes. For example, in some embodiments, using a single click or mouse-over, a user can use the medical tracking display window 500 of the medical record dashboard 400 to access and view any information related to diagnostic and/or billing codes. In some embodiments, the diagnostic and/or billing code information and payment history can be displayed in a separate document or window. In some other embodiments, diagnostic and/or billing code information can be display overlaid onto the medical record dashboard 400 (e.g., as a pop-up window or transient text and/or graphics).
In some embodiments, the at least one medical record 1730 can comprise a transition of care document (hereinafter “CCD”). In some embodiments of the invention, the medical services tracking system and method can be configured to receive one or more CCDs from one or more medical providers for display to the user. In some embodiments, medical services tracking system and method can be configured to extract information from the CCD for display to the user. For example, in some embodiments, information from a received CCD can be extracted and used to populate one or more data columns or fields of the medical record dashboard 400 and/or one or more linked data columns or fields of the medical record dashboard 400. In some other embodiments, the medical services tracking system and method, enabled by the system 30, can be configured to receive direct messaging information. The medical services tracking system and method can be configured with standards and profiles required for interoperability and document-based health information exchange with other healthcare organizations. These can include IHE profiles, CDA and CCD, NwHIN Direct, HL7v2, HL7v3, DICOM, X12, ITK (UK), DMP (France), and NEHTA (Australia), etc. For example, in some embodiments, the system 30 can include an HL7 message router and schemas for exchange of direct messages including a graphical editor for transforming messages and data.
In some embodiments of the invention, the user can retrieve and/or update information related to a medical diagnosis. For example,
In some embodiments, the medical services tracking system and method can enable a user to update information displayed in the medical tracking display window 500. For example, in some embodiments, a user can update information related to a medical diagnosis and/or information related to a medical test or other service or procedure. For example,
As an example embodiment, the diagnosis indicators 1852, 1854, 1856 can provide a visual representation of the status of a patient with an eye disease such as macular degeneration. For example, in some embodiments, the diagnosis indicators 1852, 1854, 1856 can be selected from the update marker selection tab 1850 when the user intends to indicate a worsening of the condition (e.g., where the thickness of the retina is increasing). In some embodiments, any of the diagnosis indicators 1852, 1854, 1856 can be color-coded to represent a status or provide a visual indicator of a medical condition, test, or diagnosis linked to the diagnosis indicators 1850. For example, in some embodiments, the diagnosis indicator 1852 can be color coded red and the diagnosis indicator 1856 can be color-coded green. Further, the diagnosis indicator 1854 can be color-coded blue or black. In some other embodiments, the diagnosis indicator 1852 can be color coded green and the diagnosis indicator 1856 can be color-coded red. In other embodiments, other graphical markers or icons can be used, and/or other colors can be used to differentiate the diagnosis indicators 1852, 1854, 1856. Further, in some embodiments, in addition to or in place of using a color differentiation between the diagnosis indicators 1852, 1854, 1856, one or more of the diagnosis indicators 1852, 1854, 1856 can flash or pulsate.
In some embodiments, the medical services tracking system and method can enable a user to provide a plurality of updates to information displayed in the medical tracking display window 500. For example, in some embodiments, a user can update information related to a medical diagnosis and/or information related to a medical test or other service or procedure, and subsequently provide further updates to the same information or to other information. For example,
Further,
In some embodiments, the medical office wishes to communicate results or a test (e.g., a pathology result or test) a blinking cursor can appear to alert a lab physician to confirm done or other correspondence can be auto-populated into other portions of the EMR chart or table. This can allow the flow sheet to interact and auto-populate other sections of the EMR. Also any written or type correspondence or any links to dictated information using voice recognition coupled to or integrated with the medical services tracking system and method.
By following a patient on the day of delivery (e.g., for a vision intraocular pressure or anything else) can enable the user and/or medical provider to see the diagnostic test on same day even though it has not been billed. Further, this procedure can enable the medical provider to optionally add a note (as described earlier) and allow free hand typing at the end of the line.
In some embodiments, medical information populated within the medical services tracking system and method (e.g., shown as visual cues, icons, or markers 885 representing medical services, procedures or tests performed or provided to the patient) can include a visual marker such as a red dot. In some embodiments, the medical services tracking system and method can display the red dot until a claim is actually made at which time the medical services tracking system and method can display can display a green dot (i.e., the medical services tracking system and method can convert the red dot to a green dot). In some embodiments, by clicking on the dot, the user can toggle between the payment screen and the medical tracking display window 500, 3000. This can allow medical providers to improve patient care, to review the actual picture of a diagnostic test that is displayed within the medical tracking display window 500, 3000, to review other diagnostic tests results, and to compare to what happened on other days. In some embodiments, at any time, a medical provider can click on the dot to access a display where the claim is billed, and any payment that was made can be displayed. This process can help to reduce medical errors enable medical providers to quickly review the billings and claims made or billings signed off by a physician and payments portions of the medical services tracking system and method. Further, this procedure can serves as a double check to research out what actually happened in previous patient visits which will reduce medical errors and assist medical providers with deciding on future patient care.
In some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 2000 can display information related to medical procedures or services in relation to care of a patient with glaucoma. In some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 2000 can display various windows and sub-windows based on a user preference and/or current or previous user interaction with the medical record dashboard 2000. Some embodiments include a medical record dashboard 2000 that comprises information columns 2050 including a problems window 2250 and/or a surgeries window 2500 where information related to a patient's medical problems and surgeries can be displayed. In some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 2000 can include a summary window 2750 enabling a user to view and edit summary information related to the patient, any details of care provided to the patient, and/or and any medical diagnosis information prepared by a medical practitioner. Further, the medical record dashboard 2000 can also display detailed information related to any medical procedures or services provided to the patient, including procedures or services that are auto-populated by claims made or billing signed off by a physician as detailed above or other method. For example, in some embodiments, the medical record dashboard 2000 can display a medical tracking display window 3000 including a plurality of information columns 3005. In some embodiments, the medical tracking display window 3000 can be scrolled by the user to display other portions of the medical tracking display window 500.
In some embodiments, the medical record dashboards 400, 2000 can also display detailed information related to notification of payment of any medical procedures or services provided to the patient, including procedures or services that are auto-populated by claims made or billing signed off by a physician as detailed above or other method. Moreover, the medical record dashboards 400, 2000 can enable a user to access and/or track the status of the billing and payment process at any point in time. For example, in some embodiments, the medical record dashboards 400, 2000 can access and view any patient encounter form (i.e. a superbill), any claims made to a clearing house, any updates on accepted or rejected bills from the clearing house, any claims made to an insurance company, and/or any payments received for any claims made.
Referring to the medical tracking display window 3000, the information columns 3005 can include a date column 3010, and a procedure column 3020 illustrating or providing access to information detailing one or more procedures performed on the patient. Further, the procedure column 3020 can include an “OD” column 3022, and “OS” column 3024 providing right and left eye procedure information. In some embodiments, information related to the medical provider, location where the procedure was performed, and office visit information can be provided to the user in the provider column 3030, and unit column 3040, and office visit column 3050.
In some embodiments of the invention, the medical tracking display window 3000 can enable a user to view information related to tests and procedures performed on the patient including, but not limited to one or more medical imaging procedures such as an optical coherence tomography (“OCT”), or fluorescein angiography (“FA”), and/or indocyanine green chorioangiography (“ICG”). In some embodiments, medical procedures performed (including any of the aforementioned medical imaging procedures) that have been billed and claimed can be viewed or accessed by a user within any of the “OCT” column 3060 (shown split as an “OD” column 3062 and “OS” column 3064), an “Ant Seg OCT” column 3070 (split as an “OD” column 3072 and “OS” column 3074).
In some embodiments, if visual function tests were performed, information can be viewed or accessed in the “VF” column 3080 (including an “OD” column 3082, and/or an “OS” column 3084. Some embodiments include a photo column 3090 configured to enable a user to access any photographic images of the patients eyes including optical and/or auto-fluorescent images of the eyes (“OD” column 3092 and “OS” column 3094). Further, some embodiments include a Gonio column 3100 providing access to gonioscopy data and/or information related to a dilated fundus examination (“DFE” column 3110). In some embodiments, the surgeries window 2500, can include location column 2540, surgeon column 2550, and a comments column 2560 (shown in
In some embodiments of the invention, the medical tracking display window 3000 can enable a user to view information related to tests and procedures performed on the patient including a cup-to-disc ratio (“C/D”) to assess the progression of glaucoma, Pachymetry data (“Pachy”), refraction test information such as best-corrected visual acuity (“BCVA”), and/or intraocular pressure (IOP) data. For example,
In some embodiments of the invention, the medical services tracking system and method can display and auto-populate the medical record dashboard 400 and/or the medical record dashboard 2000 with more than one patient information. For example, in some embodiments, any windows, sections, or columns of the medical record dashboard 400, 2000 can display information related to a plurality of patients.
Further, in some embodiments of the invention, any information displayed by the medical services tracking system and method can display and auto-populate the medical record dashboard 400 and/or the medical record dashboard 2000 as a function of patients seen during a specified time period. In some other embodiments of the invention, the medical services tracking system and method can display and auto-populate the medical record dashboard 400 and/or the medical record dashboard 2000 as a function of a specified disease and/or diagnosis. For example, in some embodiments, the medical services tracking system and method can display and auto-populate the medical record dashboard 400 and/or the medical record dashboard 2000 as a function of a CPT code or ICD code from input received from a physician or other medical practitioner or provider. For instance, every patient who has the diagnosis of diabetes with their name and the date last scene is auto-populated. Certain parameters that may need to be followed by the user from all of their patients with this condition can be auto-populated. For example, in the case of patients with diabetes, parameters can include how often they've missed appointments, blood sugar, hemoglobin A-1 C, medications, major new medical complications such as heart attack, stroke, amputations, blindness, each of which can be auto populated and followed to enable the user to see how all their patients are doing. In some embodiments, the user can also receive a daily report on all the patients they've seen, what the diagnosis codes are and what CPT, ICD, or office visit billing codes were done. In some embodiments, any report or diagnostic test can be sent to a patient portal, to an email server, and/or as a fax. Further, the user can be alerted when the claims go out and when they're actually paid. For example, in some embodiments, the above described methods of display can provide a mechanism for determining payments to the user, and if claims are being made for each patient seen in any particular day, week or month.
Examples of the aforementioned examples of displayed data sorted and viewable by patient, disease time period, physician, etc., are shown in
Referring to
Referring to
In some embodiments of the invention, the medical services tracking system and method can enable a user to update a medical record dashboard 400 and/or the medical record dashboard 2000 to be mark personalized to the next treating physician or patient to follow progression changed outcomes. This will be used to access quality of care and prove effectiveness and results resolution, and can be used for negotiating with insurance carriers or for performance research. For example, anything can be tracked or personalized to the needs of the treating physician or patient to follow progression, changes, and outcomes. This can be used to assess quality of care and prove effectiveness and results of treatment. Quality outcome measures are critical for all practices to start to follow as this improves patient care, and in the future, a physician's financial compensation from insurance companies, or any penalization will be determined based on the quality of care metric. Further, physicians who participate in clinical research must follow defined parameters over time as they learn whether a particular drug, or device, or other item being investigated actually improve changes or worsens particular parameters. By way of example in
In some embodiments of the invention, the medical services tracking system and method can enable a date alert or self-destruction of any information or data entered or auto-populated in the medical record dashboard 400 and/or the medical record dashboard 2000. For example, in some embodiments, any message, or note, or summary, or any medical data can include a date alert and/or a self-destruct function that can instruct the medical services tracking system and method to remove and/or delete information from the medical record dashboard 400 and/or the medical record dashboard 2000. In other embodiments, the historical date and/or an alert or warning can be provided with any auto-populated or user-summoned information to assist the user with an assignment of relevancy to any data being reviewed prior to, during, or after a patient visit or examination. In some embodiments, this feature can optimize the standard of care being delivered by the user. For instance, this feature can help monitor preferred practice patterns or serve as a reminder on information needed for clinical review.
In some embodiments, the system 30 can include at least one computing device, including one or more processors 32. Some processors 32 can include processors 32 residing in one or more conventional server platforms. The system 30 can include a network interface 35a and an application interface 35b coupled to at least one processors 32 capable of running at least one operating system 34. Further, the system 30 can include a network interface 35a and an application interface 35b coupled to at least one processors 32 capable of running one or more of the software modules (e.g., enterprise applications 38). Some embodiments of the invention also relate to a device or an apparatus for performing these operations. The apparatus can be specially constructed for the required purpose, such as a special purpose computer. When defined as a special purpose computer, the computer can also perform other processing, program execution or routines that are not part of the special purpose, while still being capable of operating for the special purpose. Alternatively, the operations can be processed by a general purpose computer selectively activated or configured by one or more computer programs stored in the computer memory, cache, or obtained over a network. When data are obtained over a network the data can be processed by other computers on the network, e.g. a cloud of computing resources.
With the above embodiments in mind, it should be understood that the invention can employ various computer-implemented operations involving medical services tracking data stored in computer systems. Moreover, the above-described databases and models throughout the medical services tracking can store analytical models and other data on computer-readable storage media within the system 30 and on computer-readable storage media coupled to the system 30. In addition, the above-described applications of the medical services tracking system can be stored on computer-readable storage media within the system 30 and on computer-readable storage media coupled to the system 30. These operations are those requiring physical manipulation of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical, electromagnetic, or magnetic signals, optical or magneto-optical form capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared and otherwise manipulated.
Some embodiments include the system 30 comprising at least one computer readable medium 36 coupled to at least one data storage device 37b, and/or at least one data source 37a, and/or at least one input/output device 37c. In some embodiments, the invention embodied by the medical services tracking system can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium 36. The computer readable medium 36 can be any data storage device that can store data, which can thereafter be read by a computer system (such as the system 30). Examples of the computer readable medium 36 can include hard drives, network attached storage (NAS), read-only memory, random-access memory, FLASH based memory, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, other optical and non-optical data storage devices, or any other physical or material medium which can be used to tangibly store the desired information or data or instructions and which can be accessed by a computer or processor (including processors 32).
In some embodiments of the invention, the computer readable medium 36 can also be distributed over a conventional computer network via the network interface 35a so that the medical services tracking system embodied by the computer readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed fashion. For example, in some embodiments, one or more components of the system 30 can be tethered to send and/or receive data through a local area network (“LAN”) 39a. In some further embodiments, one or more components of the system 30 can be tethered to send or receive data through an internet 39b (e.g., a wireless internet). In some embodiments, at least one software application 38 running on one or more processors 32 can be configured to be coupled for communication over a network 39a, 39b. In some embodiments, one or more components of the network 39a, 39b can include one or more resources for data storage, including any other form of computer readable media beyond the media 36 for storing information and including any form of computer readable media for communicating information from one electronic device to another electronic device.
In some embodiments, the network 39a, 39b can include wide area networks (“WAN”), direct connections (e.g., through a universal serial bus port) or other forms of computer-readable media 36, or any combination thereof. Further, in some embodiments, one or more components of the network 39a, 39b can include a number of client devices which can be personal computers 40 including for example desktop computers 40d, laptop computers 40a, 40e, digital assistants and/or personal digital assistants (shown as 40c), cellular phones or mobile phones or smart phones (shown as 40b), pagers, digital tablets, internet appliances, and other processor-based devices. In general, a client device can be any type of external or internal devices such as a mouse, a CD-ROM, DVD, a keyboard, a display, or other input or output devices 37c. In some embodiments, various other forms of computer-readable media 36 can transmit or carry instructions to a computer 40, including a router, private or public network, or other transmission device or channel, both wired and wireless. The software modules 38 can be configured to send and receive data from a database (e.g., from a computer readable medium 36 including data sources 37a and data storage 37b that can comprise a database), and data can be received by the software modules 38 from at least one other source. For example, as described earlier, in some embodiments of the invention, using the system 30, the medical services tracking system and method can be configured to receive one or more CCD from one or more medical providers for display to the user 31. Further, in some embodiments, patient data can be retrieved from one or more master patient index databases (e.g. a master patient database managed by a government entity and/or a third party provider such as insurance company or collective of insurance companies). In some further embodiments, data can be retrieved from the national register of drugs and pharmaceuticals.
In some embodiments, at least one of the software modules 38 can be configured within the system 30 to output data to at least one user 31 via at least one digital display (e.g., to a computer 40 comprising a digital display). In some embodiments, the system 30 as described can enable one or more users 31 to receive, analyze, input, modify, create and send data to and from the system 30, including to and from one or more enterprise applications 38 running on the system 30. Some embodiments include at least one user 31 coupled to a computer 40 accessing one or more modules of the medical services tracking system including at least one enterprise applications 38 via a stationary I/O device 37c through a LAN 39a. In some other embodiments, the system 30 can enable at least one user 31 (through computer 40) accessing enterprise applications 38 via a stationary or mobile I/O device 37c through an internet 39a.
In some embodiments, the software modules 38 can include a server-based software platform that can include medical services tracking software modules suitable for hosting at least one user 31 account and at least one patient account or record. Further, some embodiments of invention includes the software modules 38 that can include at least one server-based software platform that can include medical services tracking software modules suitable for hosting at least at least one patient account or record. In some embodiments, using the system 30, the medical services tracking system and method can manage multiple user accounts and/or multiple patient accounts. In some embodiments, the software modules 38 can include a server-based software platform that can include medical services tracking software modules suitable for hosting a plurality of user accounts accessible by multiple medical practitioners (e.g., doctors, physicians, surgeons, optometrists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, dentists, etc.) In some embodiments of the invention, patient accounts can be accessible by the patient's medical practitioner and not shared with other medical practitioners holding one or more user accounts within the medical services tracking system and method. In some further embodiments, one or more patient accounts can be accessible and shared by a user 31 associated with the patient account. For example, in some embodiments, a user 31 can grant access to at least one other user of the medical services tracking system and method. In some embodiments, shared access can be at least partially restricted. For example, in some embodiments, shared access can be restricted to viewing at least a portion of the shared patient's account or record.
Any of the operations described herein that form part of the invention are useful machine operations. The invention also relates to a device or an apparatus for performing these operations. The apparatus can be specially constructed for the required purpose, such as a special purpose computer. When defined as a special purpose computer, the computer can also perform other processing, program execution or routines that are not part of the special purpose, while still being capable of operating for the special purpose. Alternatively, the operations can be processed by a general purpose computer selectively activated or configured by one or more computer programs stored in the computer memory, cache, or obtained over a network. When data is obtained over a network the data can be processed by other computers on the network, e.g. a cloud of computing resources.
The embodiments of the present invention can also be defined as a machine that transforms data from one state to another state. The data can represent an article, that can be represented as an electronic signal and electronically manipulate data. The transformed data can, in some cases, be visually depicted on a display, representing the physical object that results from the transformation of data. The transformed data can be saved to storage generally or in particular formats that enable the construction or depiction of a physical and tangible object. In some embodiments, the manipulation can be performed by a processor. In such an example, the processor thus transforms the data from one thing to another. Still further, the methods can be processed by one or more machines or processors that can be connected over a network. Each machine can transform data from one state or thing to another, and can also process data, save data to storage, transmit data over a network, display the result, or communicate the result to another machine. Computer-readable storage media, as used herein, refers to physical or tangible storage (as opposed to signals) and includes without limitation volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable storage media implemented in any method or technology for the tangible storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data.
Although method operations can be described in a specific order, it should be understood that other housekeeping operations can be performed in between operations, or operations can be adjusted so that they occur at slightly different times, or can be distributed in a system which allows the occurrence of the processing operations at various intervals associated with the processing, as long as the processing of the overlay operations are performed in the desired way.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the invention has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examplesH the invention is not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples and uses are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A system for aggregating and tracking medical delivery to a patient comprising:
- a non-transitory computer-readable medium in data communication with at least one processor, the non-transitory computer-readable medium including software instructions comprising a medical services tracking system;
- one or more processors configured to execute the software instructions to:
- link to and receive patient related information from at least one patient database or server;
- display at least one medical record dashboard comprising one or more windows concurrently viewable on a single screen, the one or more windows comprising at least one data entry field for displaying information received or derived from the at least one patient database or server;
- auto-populate at least one of the at least one data entry field based at least in part on information associated with at least one of at least one unbilled claim and an unbilled bill signed off by a medical provider;
- generate at least one icon representative of at least a portion of information in at least one of the at least one data entry field;
- using the at least one generated icon to link to patient related information, via at least one of the one or more windows of the medical record dashboard, to enable entry of patient related information into at least one of the at least one data entry field; and
- display at least one of the at least one generated icon in the at least one data entry field for which the at least one icon was generated to provide at least one of a visual representation of patient related information and a link to patient related information in the at least one data entry field.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to dynamically link to at least one electronic medical records system.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
- launch the medical services tracking system from a user interface of the electronic medical records system.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
- switch between at least one display generated by the medical services tracking system and one or more displays generated by the electronic medical records system.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
- provide a user edit access to the at least one data entry field to update or mark at least one data entry field.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the update or mark comprises at least one icon, the icon representative of at least one of a worsening, a stable, or an improving medical symptom, medical condition, problem, disease or diagnostic test result.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one icon comprises a visual representation of financial data including at least one of items paid, items not paid, or items partially paid.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide, on the at least one medical record dashboard, at least one user-selectable link to a medical record, wherein the medical record is displayed without leaving a display of the at least one medical record dashboard.
9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at the at least one user-selectable medical record comprises at least one test result or diagnosis from any procedural terminology code or any international classification of disease codes.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one patient database comprises patient information from at least one of a medical provider, a transition of care document or proactive care form, or a direct message.
11. A method for aggregating and tracking medical delivery to a patient, comprising:
- retrieving patient related information from at least one patient database or server;
- displaying at least one medical record dashboard comprising one or more windows concurrently viewable on a single screen, the one or more windows comprising at least one data entry field for displaying information retrieved from or derived from the at least one patient database or server;
- auto-populating at least one of the at least one data entry field based at least in part on information associated with at least one of at least one unbilled claim and an unbilled bill signed off by a medical provider;
- generating at least one icon representative of at least a portion of information to be displayed in at least one of the at least one data entry field;
- using the at least one generated icon to link to patient related information, via at least one of the one or more windows of the medical record dashboard, to enable entry of patient related information into at least one of the at least one data entry field; and
- displaying at least one of the at least one generated icon in the at least one data entry field for which the at least one icon was generated to provide at least one of a visual representation of patient related information and a link to patient related information in the at least one data entry field.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
- providing a user edit access to the at least one data entry field to update or mark at least one data entry field based on at least one medical diagnosis.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the update or mark comprises at least one icon, the at least one icon representative of at least one of a worsening, a stable, or an improving medical symptom, medical condition, problem, disease or diagnostic test result.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one icon comprises a color or graphical change providing a visual representation of financial data including items paid, items not paid, and items partially paid.
15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
- providing, on the at least one medical record dashboard, at least one user-selectable link to a medical record.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one patient database or server comprises patient information from at least one of a medical provider, a transition of care document, a proactive care form, or a direct message.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one user-selectable medical record is displayed without leaving a display of the at least one medical record dashboard and the at the at least one user-selectable medical record comprises at least one test result or diagnosis from any procedural terminology code or any international classification of disease codes.
18. The system of claim 1, wherein the information received or derived from the at least one patient database or server is organized by rows or columns in the at least one medical record dashboard according to a date of service.
19. The system of claim 1, wherein the information received or derived from the at least one patient database comprises at least two of procedures, symptoms or clinical findings, or diagnostic test or laboratory results associated with a respective patient.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the symptoms or clinical findings comprise at least one of visual acuity (VA), intra-ocular pressure (IOP), photograph, visual field, fluorescein angiography or optical coherence tomography (OCT).
21. The system of claim 1, wherein different colors or different graphical representations of that at least one icon are used to differentiate between different statuses of the information to be represented by the at least one icon.
22. The method of claim 11, wherein the information retrieved or derived from the at least one patient database or server is organized by rows or columns in the at least one medical record dashboard according to a date of service.
23. The method of claim 11, wherein the information received or derived from the at least one patient database comprises at least two of procedures, symptoms or clinical findings, or diagnostic test or laboratory results associated with a respective patient.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the symptoms or clinical findings comprise at least one of visual acuity (VA), intra-ocular pressure (IOP), photograph, visual field, fluorescein angiography or optical coherence tomography (OCT).
25. The method of claim 11, wherein different colors or different graphical representations of that at least one icon are used to differentiate between different statuses of the information to be represented by the at least one icon.
26. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the patient related information, linked to using the at least one generated icon, is auto-populated into at least one of the at least one data entry field.
27. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the patient related information, linked to using the at least one generated icon, is auto-populated into at least one of the at least one data entry field.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Mar 23, 2015
Date of Patent: Jun 11, 2019
Patent Publication Number: 20150269323
Assignee: Leonard Ginsburg (Merion, PA)
Inventor: Leonard Ginsburg (Merion, PA)
Primary Examiner: Jonathan Durant
Application Number: 14/666,278
International Classification: G16H 10/60 (20180101); G06F 19/00 (20180101); G16H 15/00 (20180101);
